


Bloom 三日見ぬ間の桜

by fairycakejisoo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Depression, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-02 00:16:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15785049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairycakejisoo/pseuds/fairycakejisoo
Summary: It looks like rain in cherry blossom lane, the sunshine of your smile's no longer there ...





	Bloom 三日見ぬ間の桜

**Author's Note:**

> Summary is lyrics from the song It Looks like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane by Guy Lonbardo, look up the full lyrics after you read and you'll understand why I chose it. Unbetaed, even though they aren't specified for spoiler reasons, please take the trigger warning seriously. The last thing I want is for someone to get hurt just to read my dumb fic <3

Lying next to Baekhyun as daylight slowly made its way between the curtains, filling the small bedroom with quiet warmth, Chanyeol wondered if the bags underneath his beloved’s eyes would ever go away. Sleeping so peacefully, it was hard to believe that just four hours prior Baekhyun had been crying himself into lethargy, though the tear stained pillow and furrow in his brow was enough to give it away.

Half passed seven and Baekhyun is awake, quite the opposite of bright eyed and bushy tailed much to Chanyeol’s dismay. With a rub of his swollen eyes and an angry press against his phone to stop the alarm, Baekhyun’s feet hit the tiled floor. Though only the beginning, it seemed that summer humidity was in full effect, meaning AC blasting through their tiny place and little-to-no clothing when it came to sleeping. Without clothes, Baekhyun’s frail frame was in full view of Chanyeol, who only grew more worried by how his ribs protruded and his veins stood out as stains against his complexion. Baekhyun looked sickly, and Chanyeol couldn’t stand it one bit.

“Morning, Yeol.” Baekhyun whispered softly, his voice strained from sleep and sorrow. Chanyeol smiled pitifully and reciprocated the greeting, watching his love stretch out his sore limbs to wake himself up.

Once Baekhyun had stood completely and walked off to start his morning routine, Chanyeol followed him diligently, sitting in the kitchen while Baekhyun brewed some coffee. In the mornings, Chanyeol often liked to sit at the largest window in their apartment and watch as their neighbourhood came to life, sidewalks filling up and roads clogging with people on their way to nowhere. This morning, Chanyeol couldn’t help but be a bit clingier to Baekhyun; it was the anniversary after all. It had been an entire year, which, on paper, was a long time, while to Chanyeol, it felt like a lot longer. He liked to think Baekhyun felt the same way.

While on the topic of Baekhyun, he had yet to mention anything at all about the significance this date held to the both of them, though Chanyeol couldn’t find it in himself to be as bothered as he probably had the right to be. Perhaps Baekhyun was just as tired as he looked, so Chanyeol allowed him to recall the date on his own.

There was no way Baekhyun forgot about him.

 

~

 

As Chanyeol preened his hair in the bathroom mirror, Baekhyun undressed behind him and started the shower. He seethed at the chilling temperature and began to wash, cursing about the old pipes in their building. Chanyeol’s eyes diverted from himself to the other, watching how slowly he moved under weight of the water. These days, Baekhyun hardly slept through the night, barely ate during meal times, and when he was extended an invite to get together with his friends he would decline and stay cooped up at home. The only time he went outside was for work, and Chanyeol wished desperately to be able to say something, do anything that would help his love, but there was nothing he could do.

“My mom has been griping at me to go up and see her, do you think I should?” Baekhyun quietly asked, rinsing the shampoo from his out-grown hair. He didn’t give Chanyeol the opportunity to respond. “Honestly, if she wants to see me she should just come up here herself. I can’t just change my schedule around to cater to her. I would never tell her that, though. Maybe if I put it off long enough she’ll come here on her own and she’ll be satisfied for a few more months…”

“I think you should go see her, love. She’s worried about you…” Chanyeol pleaded.

The only answer Baekhyun gave was a small sigh, letting the water hit his back as he stood thoughtfully, allowing his mind to consume him.

 

 ~

 

The time came for Baekhyun to head off to his day shift at a small cafe a few blocks from their place. Chanyeol had always bugged him to try and find a better job when he was first hired. Lately, his main excuse for not job-hunting was that he was waiting for the right opportunity to knock. Chanyeol knows Baekhyun doesn’t really believe in that kind of stuff.

In fact, just last year Chanyeol’s mom had offered Baekhyun a placement at his family’s own restaurant. Better pay, more hours, and people who truly cared for his well-being.

Baekhyun declined.

Chanyeol was beginning to think that perhaps Baekhyun just didn’t want to try anymore, and truthfully, he couldn’t blame him. He just wished he wouldn’t think that way.

While Baekhyun pulled on his shoes and slung his backpack over his shoulder, Chanyeol stood across the living room from him.

“Bye, Yeol, I’ll be back later.” He stated, throwing one last longing look in the other’s general direction before shuffling out the door.

“I’ll be here when you get back.”

 

~

 

Chanyeol’s favourite pastime was people-watching. Venturing outside, finding an empty bench and just sitting for a while, observing the streets light up with the people roaming there – it was heaven to him. Each day he would study body language, watch situations unfold and life stories written: young students in their freshly-pressed uniforms, moving with such reckless purpose and undoubted hopefulness, new parents out for strolls with their little ones, overly cautious and diligently observant. Everything about people intrigued Chanyeol to no end, but couples had to be his favourite: walking hand in hand, enjoying each other’s company, listening and laughing with one another. The happy aura they sported was as refreshing as a newly bloomed cherry blossom tree.

Chanyeol supposed that Baekhyun was the reason for his interest in couples. From them, he could recall the memories he shared with his love. As a pair passed him, hands clasped proudly together, Chanyeol thought of the first time he’d held Baekhyun’s hand.

Under the table while out to eat with their friends, discreet and secretive, but it had felt like where he belonged. That too had been the night they’d first kissed; back at Chanyeol college dorm room, pressed against the door, Baekhyun’s tip-toes doing most of the work to help pin the giant down.

Everything that Chanyeol had experienced with Baekhyun, he looked back on fondly, and for that, he was eternally grateful.

This day in particular, Chanyeol walked farther than he had in a while, making it all the way down through the back alley streets of Seoul, ending up walking through a market with dozens of vendors from all walks of life. The tourists held his attention with their odd quirks and accents, but he got most lost in the fast-talking hagglers and the hustle and bustle one could expect from such a place. Once Chanyeol found his way out, he came across a park, the centerpiece fountain attracting him to take a seat. He stopped there and marked his spot for the day.

Once in a while, he would try for his reflection in the water, but was unsuccessful each time.

 

~

 

After being out for hours, Chanyeol found himself heading home, in hopes to make it there before Baekhyun got back. He was successful in his mission when just five minutes after his arrival, the door beeped and his love stepped through with a heaving sigh, throwing his bag down in a violent huff.

Chanyeol sat down on the couch watching, figuring Baekhyun had had a rough day.

“I’m home, Yeol, you won’t believe what happened,” he started, kicking off his shoes and beginning his lengthy story. His demanding boss, the broken AC, Chanyeol thought what he vented out sounded awful.

Baekhyun made his way to the kitchen while he spoke, rummaging through the cupboards in search of instant noodles to heat up.

“And when she dropped her spoon, her screech was priceless, you should have heard her!” Baekhyun laughed, but soon his laughter trailed off as he pulled out his food. “You should have been there…” Baekhyun finished, getting quiet again. He tore open the top of the noodle package and put the kettle on. “You know today’s the anniversary, right?”

“I know,” Chanyeol spoke, though Baekhyun paid no mind to his words. “I thought you forgot.”

“I’ve been trying to forget all day, but you’re all I can think about.” Baekhyun sighed, looking at the ground while clutching onto the counter.

Chanyeol stood up from his place on the couch.

“I’m so _fucking_ mad at you for putting me through all of this!” Baekhyun suddenly yelled, pushing himself off the counter and pulling at his hair in frustration.

Chanyeol frowned deeply but didn’t take his eyes off the man across from him.

“You know, all this time I’ve been asking myself why, and I’ve never come up with an answer. I haven’t been allowed the closure that I need!” Baekhyun’s eyes flooded with tears. “That’s all I want, Yeol… This entire time, I’ve just wanted someone to explain to me what I’ve done wrong, what I’ve done to deserve this…”

“You don’t deserve this, love, it isn’t fair to you.” Chanyeol said in defeat.

“It’s not fair! I just want to be happy again! I just want to get your favourite meal and not have to eat it alone! I want to stay up watching dramas with your stupid laugh ruining them for me! I want to wake up every morning to your big brown eyes and hold you just because I can!”

Baekhyun’s tears splashed against the tiles, his cheeks damp and his breathing unsteady.

“Does it make you feel good that you took all that away from me, you _asshole_? Huh?”

Chanyeol couldn’t say anything.

“Well? Answer me!” The kettle steamed up, a loud whistle interrupting the heated moment.

Baekhyun turned away from Chanyeol and furiously wiped his eyes, taking the water off to fill his bowl.

“I’m sorry…” Chanyeol apologized, but it was futile, he knew that.

Baekhyun set the kettle down beside him and shook his head to himself.

“Maybe it is time that I let go…” Baekhyun turned and began to walk towards Chanyeol’s lanky figure.

“I won’t be mad at you; I just want you to be happy again.”

Baekhyun walked straight passed Chanyeol and picked up the framed photo he’d been speaking to. Pictured were him and Chanyeol, happy as can be, taken when they’d first began dating six and a half years ago, snuggled together beside the trunk of a proud cherry blossom, their lives so carefree and simple.

“Even though I try, I could never forget you, Yeol…” Baekhyun whispered with heartbreak, the tears he’d managed to push back resurfacing and wetting the glass frame.

“I’ll always be here, love, whenever you need me.” Chanyeol spoke once more before walking off to the window sill and having a seat.

He hadn’t noticed the pink and white petals that littered the side walk until then.

**Author's Note:**

> I got this idea a while back after writing Moon Flower, so there are some parallels between them. The Japanese, as far as I know, is a word that implies change happens very suddenly and intensely, much like the life cycle of a cherry blossom or sakura tree. I wanted to leave some room for ambiguity as far as what happened to Chanyeol, but mainly the story is focused on Baekhyun's grief and unwillingness to accept that change.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked it^^ feedback is always appreciated, and follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/sereneseungyeon) if you want to talk to me there too.  
> Mimi


End file.
